Feeding trough



Jan, 6. 1925.

J. M. SWEARINGEN FEEDING TROUGH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mul! zu 1l RHV Y iii/4 ,A f j iii/ Jan. 6. .l 925- 1,522,084

.1. M. swEARlNGEN FEEDING THOUGH Fired March 2s, 1924 2 sheetsfsheei 2 3mm/woz cf- JU 5Fl/earth?? en) 7 www@ Patented dan. 5, i925.

LEZZM JAMES M. SWEARINGEN, 0F CEITTERTO/VN, MISSOURI.

FEEDING TROUCTH.

Application filed. March 26, 1924. Serial No. 702,086.

'To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES M. SwnAiniN- GEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Centertown, in the county of Cole and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Troughs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for feeding hogs and other stock and one object thereof is to provide a simple and inexpensive construction whereby feed in a liquid or fluid condition may be supplied to the stock and so distributed that crowding of the stock will be avoided and, consequently, the larger animals will not be permitted to obtain an undue share of the feed while the smaller animals will be prevented from obtaining any. Another object of the invention is to provide a structure in which the person supplying the feed will be protected against possible injury due to the animals crowding about him and the feed may be supplied to the trough without loss. rEhe invention also seeks to provide a structure which will be cheap but strong and durable. These stated objects, and other objectswhich will hereinafter incidentally appear, are attained in such a device as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a feed trough embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is `an enlarged longitudinal section through one end of the trough; f

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. l is a plan view of the blank from which the body of the trough is formed.

In carrying out my invention, I employ sills 1 which are spaced apart and placed upon the ground parallel to a fence or partition 2 with one sill immediately adjacent the fence. Supported by and extending between these sills is a trough 3 which may be conveniently formed from asingle blank l of sheet metal, shown in Fig. t. This blank is primarily a rectangular sheet of metal having spaced notches 5 formed in one side edge. The ends of the sheet are cut away to define tongues 6 in which central longitudi nal slits or incisions 7 are made. The end edges of these tongues are parallel with the ends of the sheet l and the side edges of the tongue are formed on converging lines to define an edge 8 projecting outwardly from the end edge ofthe blank at an acuteangle thereto and a shorter end edge 9 extending inwardly from the end of the respective edge 8 substantially at a right angle thereto. Openings 10 are formed through the tongues adjacent the end edges thereof to receive fastening devices, and through one tongue is formed a larger opening 11 adjacent the juncture of the edges 8 and 9 thereof to receive a supply pipe, asV will presently appear. To form the trough from this blank, the blank is first folded longitudinally along its center, as indicated at 12, whereby it assumes a V-shaped formation in transverse section, as shown in Fig. 3. That side edge of the blank which is free of notches 5 is then rolled upon itself to form a bead 13 which imparts rigidity to the structure and is adapted to fit between the sills 1, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. The members of each tongue 6 will be slightly separated at the slits or incisions 7 as the blank is folded so that the sections of the tongue will move past each other into overlapping relation as they are bent into a plane at a right angle to the main body of the blank so as to form the end walls of the trough, and the end walls thus produced abut the sills 1, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. rThe end portions of the tongues are then folded over the upper edges of the sills, as shown at 14, and secured against the outer sides thereof, as shown at 15. To secure the tongues against the outer sides of the sills, I employ rods 16 which extend through the sills adjacent and below the sides of the trough, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, these rods being threaded at one end to receive nuts 17 whereby they may be secured firmly in the sills and, consequently, serve not only to secure the trough to and between the sills but also aid in imparting rigidity to the structure. A supply pipe 18 is fitted through that sill l which lies immediately adjacent the fence or partition 2 and may be secured in or abut the other sill, the end of the pipe at the last-mentioned sill being closed by said sill or otherwise, as may be preferred. In the side of the said pipe and spaced apa-rt to correspond to the notches 5 are outlets 19 through which the feed may escape into the trough. To secure the trough to this supply pipe, the notched side edge of the blank is extended under the pipe and then around and over the saine, as shown clearly in FiO. 3, the edge of the blank being brought over onto the side wall of the trough and soldered or otherwise firmly secured thereto, as indicated at 20.

also provide metallic straps or bands 21 which are extended across the troughat intervals between the ends thereof and extend across the edges thereof and under the bottom of the same and have their extremities Wrapped about one of the rods 16, as shown at 22. The intermediate portion of each strap or band is carried between the bottom of the trough and the respective rods 16 and, if preferred the ends of one band may be wrapped about one rod while the ends of the other band are wrapped about the opposite rod. These straps impart additional firmness to the trough so as to aid in retaining the shape of the saine and also serve as spacers to aid in preventing crowding of the animals into and about the trough.. The receiving end of the supply pipe 18 extends throughthe fence or partition 2 and is connected by an elbow 23 with an upright pipe 24 in the upper end of which is engaged a funnel or hopper 25, which hopper is equipped with a screen 26 so that excessively large solid matters which may be contained in the feed will be prevented from passing to Jthe supply pipes and choking the saine. A retaining bracket 27 is se cured to the end of the trough and is constructed in bridge-like form to fit around the upright pipe 24 and hold the saine in proper position adjacent the fence and theI trough.

llhe use of the device will, it is thought, be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. The trough constructed as shown and described is placed in position immediately adjacent the fence or partition so that a person who may desire to supply feed to the animals is not required to pass into the feeding yard and close to the sides of the trouo'h Where he would be` exposed to jostling by the feeding animals and possibly suffer injury therefrom. The feed to be supplied to the animals is placed in the funnel-like hopper 25 and at once flows through the same and the spout 2st thereof into the feed pipe 18, escaping therefrom through the outlets 19, and, inasmuch as the capacity of any one outlet is sniall relative to the capacity of the pipe, the feed will pass into the trough along the ent" length thereof. As a result, the anii will not crowd about one end of the trou but will range along the saine at' the op posite sides thereof and the smaller animals willv have the same opportunity as the lar f animals to feed. The device is exceediz simple in construction but is strong and rable so that the cost of production and u keep will be inconsequential.

Having thus described the invention, l claim:

1. A feed trough comprising supportii sills, a receptacle Vsecured to and entendu between said sills and having openings .lll one side wall adjacent the upper edge thereof, a feed pipe extending along the said side of the trough and provided with outA1 immediately adj acent and in alinenient the said openings, and means communi( ing with one end of said pipe to direct into the same. A

2. A feed trough comprising spaced si' zwi an integral body extending between the said sills and consisting of a sheet of material dening downwardly converging side nails and tongues disposed against the sills to de fine end Walls and extending over and against the outer sides of the sills, bracing and securing rods exteneing through the sills adjacent and below the side walls olf the body, a feed pipe extending along on:1 side wall at the upper edge thereof and provided with spaced openingsto direct feed from the pipe over the said wall, and bands extended across the top Yof the body and across the sides thereof and having their ends wrapped about one of the said bracingl rods. Y l

3. A. feed trough comprising' spaced sillsr` a receiving body secured to and extendir if between the sills, a feed pipe extending along the upper elge of one side of said body and provided with spacedoutlets whcnfcby to direct feed into the body, a hopper arranged adjacent one sill, a spout extendingfroni tlul hopper and coupled to the feed pipe, and a bracket secured to the said sill and bridging the said spout whereby to retain it in up right position.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature.

JAMES M. -SVVEARINGEN [1.. s] 

